Following two of the quietest months of the year, August can be an interesting month with a total of 181 species having been recorded during this month. The numbers and variety of waders increase, as do the numbers of migrating warblers, Yellow Wagtails, Whinchat and Wheatears. Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls are expected. Rarities in August have included Slavonian Grebe (1996), Spoonbill (2019), Great White Egrets (2019), Red Crested Pochard (1998), Goshawk, Osprey, Caspian Gull (2006), Sabine’s Gull, Roseate Terns (2016), Red-necked Phalarope (2014), Kentish Plover, White-rumped Sandpiper (1995, 2001), Grey Phalarope, Wryneck (1976,1984, 2003, 2010 and 2014), Marsh Warbler (2009) and Red-backed Shrike (2003).
August 2020
31st August
A quiet and settled end to the month. The usual Black-tailed Godwits, Redshanks, a mixed flock of Ringed Plover and Dunlin, 40+ Lapwing, 2 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, 5 Little Egrets and a Wheatear were reported from New Passage/Pilning Wetland.
30th August
A sunny day with a cool North breeze. A juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 63 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Common Sandpipers, 10 Knot, 14 Turnstones, 15 Ringed Plover, just 2 Dunlin, 158 Redshank, 25 Lapwing, 65 Oystercatchers, 22 Curlew, a Snipe, a Little Egret, 120 Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, 44 Teal, 4 Shoveler, single Water Rail, Raven, Sparrowhawk, Whinchat, Lesser Whitethroat and 6 Wheatears were reported from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area.
29th August
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area included a Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 100 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Whimbrel, 100+Redshank, 50 Lapwing, a Little Egret, 2 Wigeon, 4 Wheatears single Peregrine, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel. Another Common Sandpiper, 36 Oystercatchers, a Little Egret and 3 Wheatears were seen at Aust Warth.
28th August
Another wet day with a cold North wind. A late afternoon visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 70+ Black-tailed Godwits, 60 Redshank, a Common Sandpiper, 140 Ringed Plover, 40 Dunlin, 2 Little Egrets, 280+ Canada Geese, 22 Shelduck, 2 Ravens, single Wheatear, Peregrine, Kestrel and Hobby.
27th August
A very wet day until late afternoon. A brief visit to the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area produced a Ruff, a Green Sandpiper, 80 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Knot, 3 Common Sandpipers, 30+ Lapwing, 5 Snipe, 20 Dunlin, 20 Ringed Plover, 80 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, a Water Rail and 2 Wheatears.
26th August
A settled, sunny day. The juvenile Rose-coloured Starling was still present with a mobile flock of 500 Starlings on Northwick Warth. Additional reports from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area included a juvenile Curlew Sandpiper, 2 Sanderling, 15 Knot, 40+ Black-tailed Godwits, 190 Redshank, 35 Lapwing, 32 Turnstones, 50 Curlew, 350 Ringed Plover/Dunlin, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Snipe, 3 Common Terns, a Gannet, 4 Grey Herons, a Little Egret, 120+ Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, 20 Shelduck, 35 Teal, a Wigeon, a female Marsh Harrier, 2 Kestrels, 4 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails and 50+ Linnets.
juvenile Rose-coloured Starling, Northwick Warth 26.8.20 © Aravind Ramesh
25th August
Storm Francis hurtled through today producing gale force wind this afternoon. Reports from Severn Beach included a Grey Phalarope (South at 13.25), a Storm Petrel, a Gannet, a juvenile Mediterranean Gull, 3 Arctic Terns, single Common Tern, Sanderling and Snipe. Reports from a very windy Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area involved 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint, 2 juvenile Little Ringed Plover, 6 Green Sandpipers, single Ruff, Greenshank, Knot and Bar-tailed Godwit, 28 Black-tailed Godwits, 190+ Ringed Plover, 120 Dunlin, 120 Redshank, 2+ Common Terns, 10+ Arctic Terns, a Yellow Wagtail and a Raven.
juvenile Little Ringed Plover, Pilning Wetland 25.8.20
24th August
The juvenile Rose-coloured Starling remained on Northwick Warth salt marsh with at least 500 Starlings where other sightings included 2 juvenile Curlew Sandpipers, 5 Knot, 51 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Whimbrel, 110 Redshank, 2 Common Sandpiper, 1+ Snipe, 196 Ringed Plover, 156 Dunlin, 12 Turnstones, 80 Oystercatchers, 60 Curlew, 30 Lapwing, 250+ Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, 20 Shelduck, an unusual sight of 21 Cormorants heading South, a moribund adult Gannet floating up river, a Little Egret, 2 Ravens still feeding on the dead Porpoise, 2 Yellow Wagtails, a Tree Pipit and at least 7 Wheatears. Seven Little Egrets and 90 Curlew were reported from Severn Beach. Click on the image below for a short Youtube video.
juvenile Rose-coloured Starling, Northwick Warth 24.8.20
23rd August
Another breezy day. The 4th Severnside record of Rose-coloured Starling, a juvenile, was seen on Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland this afternoon. Other sightings here included a Greenshank, 5 Bar-tailed Godwits, 70 Black-tailed Godwits, single Little Ringed Plover and Knot, 180 Dunlin, 220 Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, 30 Turnstones, 40 Lapwing, 80 Oystercatchers, 90 Curlew, 80 Redshank, a Little Egret, a Greylag Goose, 18 Shelduck, 5 Ravens, 3 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Wheatears. A Manx Shearwater, 3 Storm Petrels, 9 Ringed Plover, 2 Turnstones, a Sparrowhawk and a Wheatear were reported from Severn Beach.
Raven and Porpoise, Northwick Warth 23.8.20
22nd August
Another windy day. At least 2 Storm Petrels, 2 Gannets (adult & 2nd year), 40 Ringed Plover, 10 Dunlin and 5 Turnstones were seen from Severn Beach. The high tide at Northwick Warth produced 4 Greenshank, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, 2 Knot, a Sanderling, 3 Common Sandpipers, 30+ Turnstones, 100+ Redshank, 320 Ringed Plover, 170 Dunlin, 40+ Curlew, 90+ Oystercatchers, 2 Little Egrets, 240+ Canada Geese, a Greylag Goose, 14 Shelduck, 2 Ravens, a Kestrel, 10+ Yellow Wagtails, 10+ Wheatears and 60 Linnets.
Storm Petrel, Severn Beach 22.8.20
Knot, Northwick Warth 22.8.20
21st August
An increasingly windy day with occasional squally showers. A Storm Petrel, a Black Tern, 3 Gannets, a Shag and a mixed flock of 60 Dunlin/Ringed Plover were seen at Severn Beach.
20th August
A sunny and breezy day. The juvenile Little Stint, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 47 Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, 139 Dunlin, 61 Ringed Plover, 84 Redshank, 31 Lapwing, 82 Oystercatchers, 30 Curlew, 4 Turnstones, 2 Little Egrets, a Peregrine, 8 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Wheatears and a Kingfisher were reported from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland. A flock of 5 Green Sandpipers, a mixed flock of 40 Ringed Plover/Dunlin and 8 Little Egrets were sen from Severn Beach.
19th August
A very wet day. Reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included a juvenile Little Stint, 2 Little Ringed Plover, a Green Sandpiper, 3 Common Sandpipers, 56 Black-tailed Godwits, a Whimbrel, 54 Curlew, 90+ Redshank, 34 Lapwing, 26 Oystercatchers, 36 Dunlin, 27 Ringed Plover, 2 Little Egrets, 80 Canada Geese, 12 Shelduck, 6 Shoveler, 28 Teal, 55 Mallard, a Kestrel, 5 Yellow Wagtails and 6 Wheatears.
18th August
Combined reports from the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area produced 19 Black-tailed Godwits, a Green Sandpiper, 4 Common Sandpipers, 20 Turnstones, a Whimbrel, 4 Ringed Plover, a Dunlin, 2 Snipe, 140 Redshank, 22 Lapwing, 4 Little Egrets, 6 Shoveler, 15 Shelduck, a Water Rail, single Hobby, Kestrel and Tree Pipit, 6 Yellow Wagtails and 5 Wheatears.
17th August
Several visits to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced a male Blue-headed Wagtail, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 2 Knot, 47 Black-tailed Godwits, 12 Turnstones, a Ringed Plover, 3 Common Sandpipers, 14 Lapwing, 4 Little Egrets, 4 Grey Herons, a Bar-headed Goose, 190 Canada Geese, 7 Shelduck, a Water Rail, 2 Ravens, 2 Kestrels, 2 Sparrowhawks, a Spotted Flycatcher, 7 Wheatears and a Garden Warbler.
16th August
Another wet day with a good selection of birds. Sightings from Severn Beach involved at least 5 Little Egrets, a Raven, a male Redstart, 5 Wheatears, single Sparrowhawk, Garden Warbler, Willow Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat. Two juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, the first Great Skua of the year, a Greenshank, 43 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 36 Snipe, a Common Sandpiper, 230+ Canada Geese, a Bar-headed Goose, 3 Whinchats, 16 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails, a Spotted Flycatcher, 2 Garden Warblers, a Lesser Whitethroat, 60 Linnets and 2 Siskins were seen in the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area.
15th August
Another murky day with rain showers. A decent selection of birds were reported from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland including a juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 3 Little Ringed Plover, 46 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Common Sandpipers, single Knot and Golden Plover, 6 Ringed Plover, 24 Lapwing, 2 Snipe, 154 Redshank, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, 2 Water Rails, a Bar-headed Goose, 180+ Canada Geese, single Marsh Harrier and Kestrel, 10 Yellow Wagtails, 10 Wheatears, 2 Whinchat and a Siskin.
14th August
A day of showers following a night of thunder, lightning and torrential rain. Combined reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included the juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 43 Black-tailed Godwits, a Little Ringed Plover, 13 Ringed Plover, 5 Snipe, 20+ Lapwing, 103 Redshank, 4 Dunlin, 8 Turnstones, 3 Little Egrets, a Bar-headed Goose, 130+ Canada Geese, 8 Shelduck, 3 Ravens, single Hobby, Kestrel and Kingfisher, 7 Yellow Wagtails, a Grey Wagtail, 8 Wheatears, 2 Reed Warblers, single Sedge Warbler and Lesser Whitethroat.
13th August
The juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, 2 Common Sandpipers, 4 Little Ringed Plover, 43 Black-tailed Godwits, 145 Redshank, 35 Lapwing, 10+ Turnstones, 3 Snipe, just one Dunlin, 3 Little Egrets, 130+ Canada Geese, a Bar-headed Goose, 31 Teal, 13 Shoveler, 25 Gadwall, 2 Ravens, a Kestrel, 3 Yellow Wagtails and a Wheatear were seen in the Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland area.
Green Sandpipers & Wood Sandpiper, Pilning Wetland 13.8.20
12th August
Combined reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included a Great White Egret, a Marsh Harrier, the juvenile Wood Sandpiper, 2 Green Sandpipers, single Little Ringed Plover and Common Sandpiper, 43 Black-tailed Godwits, 10 Turnstones, 2 Dunlin, 96 Redshank, a Little Egret, 2 Kestrels, at least one Whinchat, 7 Wheatears, 3 Yellow Wagtails and a Kingfisher.
11th August
The hot and humid conditions continued. A juvenile Wood Sandpiper was seen distantly on the rear wader pool at Pilning Wetland. Additional sightings from the Norhwick Warth area included 35+ Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Little Ringed Plover (one chick), a Common Sandpiper, 100+ Redshank, 6 Ringed Plover, 6 Dunlin, 8 Lapwing, a Snipe, 3 Little Egrets, 3 Grey Herons, a Bar-headed Goose, 200+ Canada Geese, 18 Teal, 4 Wheatears, 2 Yellow Wagtails, 2 Whitethroats, single Kingfisher and Kestrel.
Wood Sandpiper, Pilning Wetland 11.8.20
10th August
A hot and humid day. Combined reports from the New Passage/Pilning Wetland area included 3 Little Ringed Plover (one chick), 39 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Green Sandpipers, 3 Common Sandpipers, 6 Ringed Plover, 4 Dunlin, 90+ Redshank, 8 Lapwing, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Heron, 4 Tufted Duck ducklings, 10 Teal, 200+ Canada Geese, a Bar-headed Goose, 5 Yellow Wagtails, 3 Lesser Whitethroats, a Whitethroat and a Kestrel. An adult Yellow-legged Gull and 3 Swifts were seen at Severn Beach.
9th August
A high tide visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 2 Avocets, 22 Black-tailed Godwits, a Common Sandpiper, 40 Curlew, 12 Lapwing, a Peregrine, 230+ Canada Geese and a Bar-headed Goose. A Redstart was present in Severn Beach near the railway station.
8th August
Another warm day (28°C). A Greenshank, 13 Black-tailed Godwits, 7 Little Ringed Plover (3 chicks still), 2 Ringed Plover, 10 Dunlin, 108 Redshank, 8 Lapwing, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 4 Teal, 4 Tufted Duck ducklings, 3 Shoveler, a Bar-headed Goose and at least 100 Canada Geese were reported from New Passage/Pilning Wetland.
7th August
A warm day (27°C). A low tide visit to New Passage/Pilning Wetland produced 22 Black-tailed Godwits, 3 Little Ringed Plover (2 chicks), 50 Dunlin, 11 Turnstones, 70+ Redshank, 35 Lapwing, 3 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, 200+ Canada Geese, a Grey Wagtail and a flyover Siskin.
Grey Wagtail, New Passage 7.8.20
6th August
At least 140 Canada Geese, 4 Little Egrets, 27 Lapwing, 45 Redshank, a Lesser Whitethroat and 2 Willow Warblers were reported from the Northwick Warth area. Reports from Severn Beach included a flock of 7 Cormorants, 2 Swifts, 2 Whitethroats and a Redstart.
5th August
Combined reports from New Passage/Pilning Wetland involved 6 Little Ringed Plover (3 chicks), 11 Black-tailed Godwits, 30+ Lapwing, 50 Redshank, a Bar-headed Goose, 200 Canada Geese, a Tufted Duck with 4 ducklings, 10 Shelduck, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons, a Kestrel and a flock of at least 200 Linnets. The female type Common Scoter was seen again off Severn Beach.
Tufted Ducks, Pilning Wetland 5.8.20
4th August
A quiet day. A female type Common Scoter was seen from Severn Beach. Just 3 Little Ringed Plover (one chick, 35 Lapwing and c.200 Canada Geese were reported from New Passage/Pilning Wetland.
3rd August
A juvenile Yellow-legged Gull and a drake Common Scoter were seen from New Passage. Other reports from here and Pilning Wetland included 3 Little Ringed Plover, 2 Common Sandpipers, a Green Sandpiper, 25+ Lapwing, 12 Turnstones, 6 Dunlin, 4 Ringed Plover, 35 Redshank, 2 Little Egrets, 5 Grey Herons, 150+ Canada Geese, a Bar-headed Goose and a Kestrel.
2nd August
A sunny day. A quiet day with a Bar-headed Goose, 200+ Canada Geese, 12 Shelduck, the first 4 Tufted Duck ducklings of the year, 6 Black-tailed Godwits, 4 Little Ringed Plover (2 chicks), 30 Dunlin, 60 Redshank, 35 Lapwing, 45 Curlew, 2 Common Sandpipers, 2 Little Egrets, 2 Grey Herons and 2 Yellow Wagtails. A Clouded Yellow butterfly was seen at Severn Beach.
1st August
Combined reports from Northwick Warth/Pilning Wetland included a Marsh Harrier, 3 Little Ringed Plover (2 chicks), 7 Black-tailed Godwits, 2 Common Sandpipers, 50 Dunlin, 25+ Lapwing, a Little Egret, 200+ Canada Geese, a Bar-headed Goose and 5 Kestrel.
